Davenport Commission Keeps Tax Rate Steady

DAVENPORT | The City Commission has tentatively set $7.75 per $1,000 of taxable value as its property tax rate for the 2013-14 budget year.

By MARY HURSTNEWS CHIEF

DAVENPORT | The City Commission has tentatively set $7.75 per $1,000 of taxable value as its property tax rate for the 2013-14 budget year.

That is the same rate as this year but 20 cents above the roll back rate of $7.55 per $1,000 of taxable value — the rate that would have brought in the same amount of revenue as this year.

The city's total property value rose 4 percent, according to the July estimate from the Polk County Property Appraiser's Office.

The added revenue will allow the city to add some projects to the budget without raising taxes, city officials have said.

At a special meeting Tuesday, commissioners approved in a 4-0 vote the rate in an ordinance on first reading. They also passed a $4.37 million budget on first reading. Commission Bobby Lynch did not attend.

The second and final reading of both is scheduled for the commission's Sept. 23 meeting.

For a property owner with a home valued at $100,000 and $50,000 in homestead tax exemptions, the property tax bill would be $387.50.

City Manager Amy Arrington said the general fund budget is $3.4 million with no pay increases for city employees.

The city expects to receive $690,000 in property tax revenue and $786,000 in other taxes. Its reserve fund is at $646,000, more than 20 percent of the city's budget, Arrington said.

The budget includes $20,000 for sidewalk repair, which was unfunded last year; $150,000 for street repaving; and an extra $10,000 for street lights downtown.

There's also more than $13,000 for City Hall repair and $11,000 for a new citywide phone system to connect all city departments.

One police officer position has been frozen for the budget year, which begins Oct. 1.

The streets department will get a new truck but one department position will not be filled for six months.

The purchase of a new fire truck was delayed until 2018.

The enterprise fund, which includes water, wastewater and stormwater, is $923,000.

There is $30,000 budgeted for a fiberglass water line on South Boulevard, $5,000 to purchase a line locator machine and $20,000 to buy a vehicle.

The budget also includes $15,000 for drainage improvements.

Arrington said there are some indications that growth is coming back slowly.